Gophers football: Jeff Jones starts school but ineligible to practice

Washburn's Jeff Jones was all smiles after announcing his decision to join the Minnesota Gophers football team during a press conference at Washburn High School in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014. (Pioneer Press file photo: Ben Garvin)

Highly touted running back Jeff Jones started school Tuesday at the University of Minnesota but is not eligible yet to practice with the Gophers.

Coach Jerry Kill saw Jones on Tuesday morning.

"He's happy and excited, first day of school," Kill said. "It's a great time for him. Hopefully, how things turned out, and he does all his work, he'll be practicing in the spring."

Jones was a four-star prospect and Minnesota Mr. Football out of Minneapolis Washburn who needed to attend summer school to pass two courses after failing to receive a qualifying ACT score.

He is waiting to hear from the NCAA about whether he can receive a waiver to be on scholarship this season.

"We're cautiously optimistic to see how that all works out," Kill said.